Shawn Huckins is known for both his sense of humor and skill as a painter. His 2019 exhibition, Staring at the Sun, presents The Erasures series alongside his established text-based works. Here the White House collection, a 200-year compilation which lauds American ideals and individual accomplishments, serves as the primary foundation for the work. Additionally, Huckins draws from prestigious museum collections nationwide.

In his previous series, The American Revolution Revolution and The American ___tier, Huckins satirizes social media, asking whether the devolution of language in the face of technological advancement weakens our ability to empathize and connect to one another in a meaningful way. Staring at the Sun explores the artist’s perspective on America’s divided and divisive political climate. He sources the text for his paintings from social media, searching for self-proclaimed supporters of either side of the political spectrum, in order to reflect the feelings of the public. The found text brings the people who make up American democracy to the forefront of the conversation.

Huckins states, “The underlying works chosen for this series originally served as testaments of those who came before us and the indelible mark they left on the world … not so long ago. In an era where the internet makes everyone a publisher, and digital editing tools bestow the power to create realities out of pixels, The Erasures force us to examine our assumptions regarding the longevity of individual influence and institutions, thus raising enormous questions concerning the fragility of legacy.”

A New Hampshire native, Huckins now lives and works in Denver, Colorado. His work has been displayed in private and public collections across the country, including the Museum of Fine Art in Boston, MA and the Vicki Myhren Gallery at the University of Denver. In 2018, he was a Luxemburg Art Prize finalist for the Grand-Duchy of Luxemburg. Huckins has received grants from Colorado Creative Industries, the Haven Foundation of Maine, Artists’ Fellowship Inc. of New York City, and the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism, among others.